Well my very first game playing as the Julii I quite often got simple missions. I held over half to all of the offices throughout most of the game. With my high popularity and completing missions succesfully quite often the mission was to take the city I have under siege. I do'nt know if the first game is triggered to be in your favour or not(normal normal).

The worst missions for Julii are of course blockading Numatia and Londinum. When first starting the war it seems the senate likes to start off with blockading then take some territory and them bleed them into submission by blockading them again and assigns you to make them a protectorate. That seems to be the basis.

Although the protectorate missions are bit ugly and should only be assigned if you are directly involved at war with them. Because it does not seem the A.I. associates the Roman faction as one big faction. So when Brutii beat up Dacia and you are Scipii or Julii because you were of no threat to them or can be of very little threat to them it is impossible to get them to accept terms.

Julii, Senates priotity (segesta and Caralis are givens). Own the coastal ring in the Northwest of the med starting with Narbo Martius, Massilla Osca then Carthago Nova. That seems to be the most common order after that it seems to be Random for the Julii.

So basically the Senate almost gives priority to a coastal town before a landlocked town.